News from City Hall. Judge position pays $54K compared to the Rye mayor's position that makes $0.00:
Cypher Appointed Part-Time Rye City Court Judge
Rye Mayor Joe Sack, with the approval of the Rye City Council, tonight appointed Robert S. Cypher, Jr., as part-time Rye City Court Judge.
Cypher, a former member of the Rye City Council from 2002 to 2005, is a litigator who handles general liability insurance defense matters.
“Bob has a background with the right mix of trial experience and community ties, which will serve him well in this role,” commented Sack. “I appreciate that Bob has stepped forward to take on this responsibility.”
Cypher, who joins full-time Rye City Court Judge Joseph Latwin on the bench, fills the opening created by the retirement of former part-time Rye City Court Judge Richard Runes.
“I am pleased to accept this appointment,” Cypher said. “As part-time Rye City Court Judge, I look forward to applying my legal background in a way that treats people fairly and with respect.”
Cypher is a graduate of Fairfield University and Fordham Law School. Upon graduating from Fordham, Cypher joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served as an attorney in the office of the Judge Advocate General. Subsequently, after a stint in the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, Cypher embarked on a civil litigation career which has included positions at medical malpractice and insurance defense law firms.
Sack indicated that he interviewed five Rye attorneys who expressed interest in the open judgeship, which was announced at a Rye City Council meeting last month. “Rye is lucky to have such talented lawyers as residents, and any of these folks could have successfully fit the bill.”
Pursuant to the New York State Uniform City Court Act (“UCCA”) Sec. 2104(d)(49), the City of Rye has one full-time and one part-time judge. Pursuant to UCCA Section 2104(e), the judges are selected by the mayor of the city for which the court has been established, with the advice and consent of the city council. Pursuant to UCCA Sec. 2104(b)(3), Cypher’s appointment as part-time City Court judge is for a six-year term.
Pursuant to Judiciary Law Section 221-I, the full-time judge base salary is $108,500 per year, and the part-time judge base salary is $27,200 per year. Effective April 1, 2014, the part-time position will become a half-time instead of quarter-time position, and the statutory base salary will go to $54,400. These base salaries are also subject to upward adjustments by the NYS Judicial Compensation Committee. Both salaries are paid by New York State, not the City of Rye.
